Luminous sign



Jan. 30, 1940. K. G. HENGEL LUMINOUS SIGN Filed Aug.v1s, 1957 .I4 :IIT

/faf/ 560 Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 18,

1937, Serial No. 159,666

In Germany November 26, 1935 7 Claims.

My invention relates to luminous advertising signs and methods oimaking such signs, more particularly to signs of the type comprising/one or more transparent or translucent display pan.- els illuminated by an electric light source from the rear so that the advertising letters or other sign insignia become visible to the observer by transillumination.

An object of the invention is the provision of a sign of the above character which is cheap in manufacture and Which can be easily mounted and installed by anyone Without the necessity of employing skilled labor.

Another object is to provide a luminous advertising or display sign for o-ut-door use which does not require a special moisture proof construction or protection against other atmospheric influences.

Another object is the provision of an electrically illuminated out-docr sign which does not require a special electric Wiring system and may be connected to a house lighting circuit like any other electric-al apparatus.

Another object is to provide a luminous sign Which may be quickly mounted upon a Window pane by anunskilled person, and in any desired position to suit existing requirements.

With the above objects in View, the invention is based on the known electric display or advertising signs of the general type comprising a casing, hereinafter referred to as a light box, having mounted therein a source of light in the form of one or more electric bulbs and one or more transparent or translucent panels forming. the Walls of said casing and carrying letters or other sign insignia which become visible by transillumination from the light source Within the casing.

More particularly the invention is concerned with signs of the above character for out-door advertising by mounting the saine against `the wall of a building or a display Window so as to project into the street and to become readily visible to the passers-by.

A disadvantage of luminous display signs of the aforementioned general character is the fac-t that they are comparatively expensive and cannot, as a general rule, be installed byunskilled persons such as by a store-keeper himself. The reasons for these drawbacks are the following. In the rst place, since the interior of the box or casing of an out-door sign of this type serves as a support for the lighting unit mounted therein comprising the light bulb, socket and connecting Wires, it is necessary to construct the same in a Weather-proof manner to afford adequate protection against the penetration of rain, snow and other atmospheric agencies. As a result the entire unit becomes rather heavy and bulky as Well as expensive. In the second place, due to the great Weight, the units have to be adequately'secured to the building by the aid of'supporting vantages and drawbacks. Furthermore, it is necessary to provide a special electric supply line y from the inside of the building through the wall thereof which also has to be installed in a liquidproof and moisture-proof manner, thus further complicating the installation of such signs and increasing the costs thereof.

By-my invention the above diiculties are substantially overcome. For this purpose, I propose to use a transparent light box Whichno longer serves as asupport for the lighting unit. According tothe invention the lighting unit comprising the light bulb, socket and supply Wires on the one hand and the transparent light box yor displayunit proper on the other hand are constructed as separate independent units in such a manner that both may be secured to or otherwise arranged upon the innerand outer faces,

respectively, of a transparent window pane in a I position opposite to each other, thereby to form a complete luminousl advertising sign with only the transparent Window pane separating the light source from the display box or casing proper,

An arrangement of this type constructed in accordance with the invention has various advantages some of which Will appear from thefollowing. Since, due to rthe separation of the electrical, or lighting unit and the transparent casing or light box, the former may be arranged inside the building or display window, it is no longer necessary to provide for any protection of the interior of the light box against atmospheric influences such as Water or moisture or other effects of weather. As a result the light boxmay be constructed in a more simple. and' economic manner than was required in the past. Thus, it may consist of a lightv and cheap material such as paper or cardboard similar to that used for lamp shades or the like portions of which may be rendered transparent or translucent by impregnation or any other suitable treatment or construction, such impregnation also serving to prevent a softening of the stiff paper or cardboard by rain, moisture or other effects of weather.` Moreover, such a light box Amay be constructed from a single piece of stiff paper or cardboard or the like by folding or bending it along scored lines. Alternatively, a box comprising only lateral Walls in the form of transparent display panels with its topand bottom left open may be used, since a liquid and moisture proof construction of the interior of` the light box is no longer required.

Another advantageof the invention Vis vdue to the considerably reduced Weight of the light box, thus making it possible to secure or `otherwise mount the same upon a window pane with most lform ofrubber suction cups 'I as shown. understood, any othe'r'suitable fastening devices simple and inexpensive means and in a quick and convenient manner. Thus, the mounting may be effected by the aid of pneumatic fasteners or rubber suction cups well knownfor securing objects against vertical walls or display window panes, or by any other suitable connection such as by pasting or glueing. Alternatively, the light box may be suspended from thin supporting wires or the like or fastened on to thin metallicvor wooden supporting members secured to the building or the frame of a display window.

A further advantage of va luminous sign constructed in accordance with the invention is the fact that no special electric wiring is required from the inside to the outside of the building. The lighting unit may be 'connected to an electric house lighting system by means of an ordinary extension cord in` common use for connecting electrical appliances without any special wiring requirements.

The above and further objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken wiitln reference to the accompanying drawing forming partI of this specification, and 'wherein Figure 1 isa perspective front viewof a luminous advertising sign constructed in accordance with the invention and arranged upon a window pane,

Figure 2 is a normal front View of the light box for a sign according to Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a top View of a sign according to Figure 1 with the window pane shown in crosssection,

Figure 4 is a front view of the lighting unit shown in Figure 3,

Figure 5 illustrates a modified construction of a sign according to the invention,

Figure 6 shows the construction of the light box for a sign according to Figure 5 from a single piece or stamping,

Figure 7 shows-a blank or` stamping for construction of a light box of the type shown in Figure 1 and Figure 8 illustrates a light `box according to the invention provided with exchangeable tra 'parent display panels and a solid light permeable ing.

Referring to the embodiment' of the invention shown in- Figures 1 4, the complete sign comprises an electrically illuminated triangular light box 2 constructed as aseparate unit with an 'open or otherwise light permeable rear wall secured to or otherwise mounted against the outer face of the pane I of a display window or the like, and an independent electric lighting unit 3 secured to the inner face of the window pane in a position opposite to the rear wall of the light box 2, Figure 3. In this manner both umts form a complete sign with only the transparent window pane separating the display unit or light box proper and the illuminating unit, respectively. In the example illustrated the translucent faces or display panels 4 which may consist of stiff impregnated paper, cardboard or the like are held by a frame 6 of metal or wood either rigidly or in an exchangeable manner, as

will be described in more detail in connection with Figure 8. The frame'G lis provided with suitable mounting or fastening elements such as lugs or ears carrying pneumatic fasteners in the As is and an electric bulb 9 mounted in' a suitable -light socket and a conductor in the form of a Vflexible extension cord I commonly used for connecting electrical appliances to a house light'- ing system. The reflector 8 is formed with extensions or mounting lugs II spaced from each other at angles of and in turn carrying suitable suction fasteners I2 or the like for securing the entire illuminating unit to or otherwise mounting it upon the inner face of the window pane in a manner described hereinabove.

The angular arrangement of the transparent panels or walls 4, besides rendering the sign visble in directions both along and across the street, has the further advantageous eiect that an even and eilicient illumination by the light bulb 9 is obtained. The top and bottom faces of the light box in the example illustrated are closed by cover I3, thereby forming a substantially elo-sed unit or casing.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6, the light box 2 is constructed from a single rectangular sheet -bent angularly along a central or median line and having transparent portions or panels 4 carrying the advertising matter 5. The mounting in this case is extremely simple by inwardly folding the main or displayportions II along the central scored line I6 and by bending the narrow strip-like edge portions Ill along lilies I5 and Ia parallel to tlie line I5 and by then securing the bent portions I4 to the window pane by gluing or pasting or in any other suitable manner, to obtain an angular or wedge-shaped light box projecting into the street similarly as shown in Figure 1. For further simplication the top and bottom covers may be omitted as shown in Figure 5, since no rain-proof or moisture-proof construction of the interior of the box is required, as pointed out hereinbefore.

Referring to Figure 7, I have shown therein a blank or stamping for constructing a light box of the type illustrated in Figure 1 from a single element or sheet by a folding or bending operation. As is seen, the triangular bottom wall I?.

fao

is bounded at two sides by the lateral walls or faces i forming the transparent display panels each of which terminates into a triangular top wall I3a and |317, respectively, which latter overlie each other in the folded or assembled condition of the box and serve to hold the same in proper shape. For this purpose the top wall Itb is formed with projections or lugs I at its upper edge which is somewhat lower than the upper edge of the top wall Ia. The latter is provided with slits IS through which the lugs Il' are passed in the folded condition of the box and bent against the inner face of the top wall i3d to form a rigid connection between the walls Ita and I3b. In this manner, the light box may be shipped in the flater unfolded condition as shown in Figure 7 and assembled and mounted `at the place of use by anyone in a most simple 'manner and without the necessity of employing 20 and the adjacent portions of the window pane. For the latter purpose the lugs or ears i9 and 2i) may be provided with holes 24 in such a manner that gummed paper discs or the like may serve as fastening devices glued on to said lugs or ears. In this manner a very simple and convenient mounting of the light box upon a window pane or the equivalent may be accomplished. As is understood the light box 2 and lighting unit 3 may be secured to or otherwise arranged upon the window pane i in any other suitable manner without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as by suspending it from wires or by means of supporting members secured to the wall of the building or the frame 224 of the window,l

Figure l.

Figure 8 illustrates a modified construction of a light box comprising a triangular frame 6 with top and bottom walls I3, the former being partly broken away to show the interior of the light box. In this embodiment of the invention the transparent display panels 4 forming the lateral walls of the light box are exchangeable and held in place by guide rails 23 in such a manner that they may be inserted and removed in an easy and convenient manner to change the character of the advertising matter to suit any existing requirements. Moreover, the construction according to Figure 8, contrary to the previous constructions wherein the rear Wall of the light box is left open to afford the passage of light from the illuminating unit, shows an alternative arrangement of a light permeable rear wall comprising a plate or sheet 24 of transparent material such as glass or a cellulose compound-or the like held in place by guide rails 25 so that it may be removed to enable the exchange of the display panels 4 as described.

It will be evident from the above that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown and disclosed herein for illustration, but that the underlying inventive thought and principle are susceptible of numerous variations and modifications coming Within the broad scope and spirit of the invention as dened in the appended claims. I wish it to be understood, therefore, that the speciiication and drawing are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In an advertising sign, the combination of a window pane, atransparent structure consisting of a single rectangular element of translucent material angularly bent along a symmetry line and having its edges secured tosaid window pane, thereby to form a triangular light box having a pair of lateral faces constituted by display panels and projecting with equal and opposite angles from said window pane, and an illuminating unit arranged upon the inner surface of said window pane and adapted to illuminate said` display panels through said window pane.

2. The combination with a luminous out-door advertising sign comprising an illuminating unit adapted to be mounted upon the face of a display window, of a separate sign unit being constituted by a box-like structure of stii paper having an open rear side and translucent lateral display sides, and means for mounting said structure upon the face of a Window pane with its rear side adjacent to and with its display sides projecting outwardly from said window pane, said illuminating and display units being adapted to collectively form a luminous transparency sign by mounting the same in cooperative relation upon the inner and outer face, respectively, of a display window.

3. The combination with a luminous out-door advertising sign comprising an illuminating unit adapted to bemounted upon the face of a display window, of a separate sign unit being constituted by a box-like structure consisting of a single element of stii paper bent along scoring lines, said box-like structure having an open rear side and lateral display sides, and means for mounting said structure upon the face of a Window pane with its rear side adjacent to and with its display sides projecting outwardly from said window pane, said illuminating and display unitsbeing adapted to collectively form a luminous transparency sign by mounting the same in cooperative relation upon the inner and outer face, respectively, of a display window.

a. The combination with a luminous out-door advertising sign comprising an illuminating unit adapted to be mounted upon the face of a display Window, of a separate sign unit, being constituted l by a box-like structure consisting of a single rectangular sheet of stiff paper bent along a syminetry line to form a triangular light box having a pair oi translucent lateral display sides and an open rear side, and means for mounting said light box upon the face of a window pane with its rear side adjacent to said window pane and with its display sides angularly projecting from said i window pane, said illuminating and display units by a box-like structure consisting of stiff and moisture proof paper having an open rear side and lateral translucent display sides, and means comprising mounting lugs extending from said lateral sides for mounting said structure upon a Window pane with its rear side adjacent to and with its display sides projecting from said window pane, said illuminating and display units being adapted to collectively form a luminous transparency sign by mounting the same in cooperative relation upon the inner and outer face, respectively, of a display window.

6. In a sign structure as claimed in claim 5, wherein said last means is constituted by dishshaped paper elements engaging holes in said mounting lugs and adapted to be aixed to said window pane.

'7. The combination with a luminous out-door advertising sign comprising an illuminating unit adapted to be mounted upon the face of a display window, of a separate sign unit being constituted by a box-like structure of stiff moisture proof sheet-like material having an open rear side and translucent lateral display side, and means for mounting said structure upon the face of a window pane with its open rear side adjacent to and with its display sides projecting outwardly from said window pane, said illuminating and display' units being adapted to collectively form a luminous transparency sign by mounting the same in cooperative relation upon the inner and outer face, respectively, of a display window.

KARL GEORG I-IENGEL. 

